A Monoclonal IgM Protein with Antibody-like Activity for Human Albumin

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Abstract

The serum of a patient (L'ec) with an IgM lambda monoclonal protein was noted to bind albumin on immunoelectrophoresis. Analytical ultracentrifugation of the L'ec serum demonstrated 23S and 12S peaks, but no 4S (albumin) boundary. Immunologically identical 20S and 9S IgM proteins were isolated from the serum and the addition in vitro of either the patient's albumin or albumin isolated from normal serum was shown to reconstitute the 23S and 12S boundaries. The binding of high molecular weight IgM to albumin was demonstated by Sephadex G200 chromatography with 125I-labeled albumin and isolated IgM. Immunoelectrophoresis of the L'ec IgM developed with aggregated albumin (reverse immunoelectrophoresis) also demonstrated the binding of albumin to IgM. That all of the patient's IgM complexed with albumin was shown by affinity chromatography employing an aggregated albumin-immunoadsorbent column. Binding was shown to be of the noncovalent type by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in 8 M urea. With hot trypsin proteolysis, Fabμ and Fcμ5 fragments were isolated, and monomer albumin was shown to complex only with the Fabμ fragment by both analytical ultracentrifugation and molecular sieve chromatogaphy employing 125I-labeled Fab fragments. 1 mol of Fabμ fragment bound 1 mol of monomer albumin.

Authors

Stephen Hauptman, Thomas B. Tomasi Jr.